designer shareen joel

In the June issue of real living I produced one of my favourite features for the mag. I had to track down Australia's leading interior designers and organise a shoot of them in their homes with top photographer Mikkel Vang as well as interview them. It was quite a task. As you can imagine the people we profiled are highly in demand and Mikkel is constantly flying in and out of the country, between Sydney, Melbourne and New York and everywhere inbetween.

One of the great stories I got to hear was from Shareen Joel. After studying industrial design at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology she became the youngest designer to be relocated to another country when she worked for Ford Motor Company, Australia. Since then she has gone on to work for Country Road, Freedom and Witchery.

Which five words best describe you? Focussed, efficient, sensitive, integrity, organised, warmth, determination.
What was your first career job and what path have you taken since? Ford motor company as a product designer.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Take risks, maintain consistency , conviction and a clear vision.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Wow! There are too many to count and in a diverse range of design disciplines.
What’s been your best decision? To transfer to Ford Europe and then Ford US. Then to come back home, marry my gorgeous husband Dean and have 2 gorgeous children.
What are you passionate about? Design innovation and integrity. My family, of course.
Who inspires you? Charles and Rae Eames, Achille Castiglioni, Coco Chanel, Le Corbusier. Tadao Ando, Alberto Campo Baeza.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? See above.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? To travel the world with my family when the children are old enough, appreciating food, culture and design.
What are you reading? I have never been much of a reader but I am always reading cookbooks and design magazines.

images courtesy of real living, mikkel vang and shareen joel